Railway traffic controlling apparatus



July 28, 193k c. w. FAI LOR RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2'7, 1929 INVENTOR 67247266 Wiaz'iar acdm ATTORNEY PatentedJuly 28, 1931 UNITED STATES CHARLES W. FAILOR, OF FOREST HILLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH 80 SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PATENT, OFFICE.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application'filed September 27, 1929. Serial No. 395,488.

This invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for Supplying coded train control energy to the rails ad acent both ends of a'section of railway track. One of the features of the invention resides in novel provisions for causing a single coding device 7 to supply train control energy alternately to the rails adjacent both ends of a track section, the application of such coded energy adjacent each of said ends being furthermore controlled in accordance with trafiic conditions beyond said end.v The invention also comprises means controlled by the applicationof coded energy for increasing the 7 character '5 designates a section of railway supplied with alternating current from ter-v track provided with a track relay 6. lVinding' 6 of relay 6 is connected across the rails adjacent one end of section 5, and the other winding 6" of the relay'is constantly minals. B. and C of a suitable source of energy not shown in the drawing. The track relay Bis normally energized via the rails by ,currentfrom a track transformer 7, the secondary of. which is connected with the rails adjacent the opposite end of the sec-V tion. Uninterrupted alternating current is i normally supplied to transformer 7 over a circuit from terminal B, through wire 10, front contact 11 and armature 12 of relay 6, wire 13, primary of transformer 7, and .wire 14 to terminal O. f Connected in circuit '1 with winding 6 of track relay 6 is the primary of an impedancetransformer 15, the secondary 15' of which is normally shunted by the following circuit: wire 16, armature 17 and back contact 18 of-relay 19,- wire 20, and said secondary'l5p I .1

\Vhen a train enters the track section 5, the relay 6 becomes de-energized, and its armature 12 thereupon engages back contact 21. At the same time, an armature 22 of said track relay 6 engages back contact 23, thereby establishing a circuit from terminal B, through said back contact 23 and armature 22, wires 24 and 25, motor coder 26, and wire 27 to terminal C. The motor coder 26 may be of the well-known type comprising an electric motor and means such as a plurality of make and break cams driven thereby for causing the opening and closing of contacts at different frequencies. In the drawings, there are indicated two contact elements 28, 29, operable by the motor coder.

A branch of wire 24 feeds current to said a contacts28, 29 when relay 6 is de-energized.

Contact element 28, when operated by the motor coder, engages the contacts 31, 32, alternately; each of said contacts beingengaged by said element 28 a given number of times per minute, 180 for example. Similarly, the contact element 29 is operated by the motor coder to engage the contacts 33, 34, alternately, and at a different rate than that at which contacts 31, 32 are engaged by element 28'; each of the contacts 33, 34 being engaged for example, times per minute by the member 29.

It will be seen that when, upon de-energi- Zation of the relay 6, the armature 12 engages back contact 21, the primary of transformer 7 is connected to wire 35, which in turn is connected to armature 36 of a relay 37. This armature is adapted to engage either a front contact 38 connected to contact- 32, or a back contact 39, connected to contact 34. The relay 37 is responsive to tratfic 7 as follows: from terminal B through back contact 23 and armature 22 of relay 6, wires 24 and 30, contacts 28 and 32 of motor coder 26, (each time that contact 32 is engaged by ele nent 28), front contact 38 and armature 36'of relay 37, wire 35,'back contact 21 and armature 12 of relay 6, wire 13, primary of transformer 7, and wire 14 to terminal 0. Current is thus supplied by trans-former 7 to the rails at the left hand end of track section 5, said current consisting of intermittent impulses corresponding 7 said contact .34.

prising impulses corresponding to to the frequency at "which contact element 28 of the motor coder engages contact 32. Should relay 37 be deenergized when relay 6Iis deenergized, current is supplied tothc primary oftransformer 7 from terminal 13, through back contact, 23 and armature 22 of relay 6, wires 24 and contacts 29 and 34 of motor coder 26, (each time that said contacts are in engagement), back contact 39.

and armature 36' of relay 37, wire .35 and thence as before through primary of transformer 7 to terminal '0 Such current consists of impulses corresponding to the frequency at which contact element 29 engages Connected to the rails at the right hand end of the track sect1on' 5 is the secondary of a transformer 40, the primary 40 of which is connected by a wire 41 with an armature 42 of a relay 43. The latter, as ,is well understood in-the art, is connected so as to'be responsive to traffic conditions to the right of track section :5. When said trafiio conditions to the right of section 5 are safe, relay 43 is energized, and when unsafe, saidrelay is de-energized.

The front and back contacts 44, 45 of relay mary 40f-of"transformer 40, and wire 46- to terminal C, whereby coded energy comtoe "fre quency of engagement of contact element 28 with contact 31 is supplied to the right hand end of the track section Likewise when relay 43 is tie-energized at the time relay 6 is deenergized, coded current comprising impulses corresponding to the frequency of engagement of contact element 29 with contact 33 is supplied tirough trans former 40 to, the rails adjacent. the right handendof section 5., over a circuit. which will be obvious from the drawing.

" ll he noted that when current is supouglrcchtacts of the mm coder by way of wire 41 to transformer 40, current also flows from sald wire through wire 47, relay 19, and wires 48 and 46, to terminal through the track coil 6 of relay 6." In

addition, any energy from transformer 40 that feeds through thetraclr coil 6 of relay 6 will be in such direction to open said relay. Thus, the feeding of energy to the track transformer 40is precluded from piclc ing up the track relay 6; f

During the Occupancy of, the track section by a train therelay 19 operates intermittently and in accordance with the impulses supplied by the motor-coder contacts through wire41 to transformer 40; the armature 17 of said relay being disengaged from contact 18 whenever an impulse. of current is supplied over wire 41 to transformer 40 and said armature returning into engagement with contact 18 as soon as said impulse ceases. While said relay 19 responds to current supplied over wire 41 said relay is so designed as to be non responsive to current supplied to the rails wby transformer 7 at the left hand endof the track section. As has. been noted, the impulses supplied to transformers 7 and 40 aresupplied thereto alternately; and upon the vacating of the track section the next. impulse applied to the rails by transformer 7 will energize the.

relay 6, the relay 19 being deenergized and armature 17 engaged with contact 18 at the time said impulse is supplied through'transformer 7, so that the secondary 1 5of transformer 15 is shunted and the-impedance of said transformer decreased. This energize} tion of said track relay6 by the impulse received from transformer 7 disengages armature 22 from contact 23 and re-engages armature 12 with contact 11. -'As a result, the

motor coder becomes de-energized,,and the transformer 7 is connected directly with terminals B and C, soas'to supply uninterrupted current to the'tracl; section 5. The track circuit has thus been restored'to normal condition. V

From the fore oing description i't will be seen that I haveprovided for the feeding of codedenergy alternately to the rails adjacent the respective ends of the track section. This coded energy may be utilized in any suitable or convenient way, as by the usual apparatus mounted on thefrontiofthe locomotive. and responsiverto current impulses applied to the rails of thetrack section at a point ahead of'the train, foroausingindi cations correspondingto said impulses to be given. in the locomotive-cab. felt will be.

app n t by applying coded energy through transformer 7 tothe rails at the left hand end of thesection in accordance .tional receiving apparatus aforesaid) will receive indications of said traffic conditions;

while, conversely, if such train enters said section from the left, it will receive from the impulses applied to the rails by transformer 4:0 indications of tratfic conditions to the right of said section. s

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as. terms of description andnotiof limitation, and Ihave no intention, in'the use of such terms and expres. sions, of excludingany mechanical equivalents' of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What .I claim is i I 1. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay connected with the rails of said track section, means controlled by said relay for applying train control energy to said section, atransformer having a primary winding in circuit with said relay, and a' relayTcontrolled by said energy applying means, the secondary winding of said transformer being controlled. by said second relay.

2. Incombination, a section of railway track, a track relay. provided with a circuit including the rails of said track section, means controlled byisaid relay for applying traincontrol energy'to the rails of said section, and means responsive to the applicationof train control energy to said section for increasing the impedance of the track relay circuit. q

3. In combination, asection of railway track, atrack relay connected with the rails of said track section, means controlled by said relay for applying train control energy to the railsadjacent' the ends of said section, awinding in circuit with said relay, and'means controlled by the application of train control energy for varying the impedanceof said winding. y

4. In combination a section of railway track, a track relay connected with the rails of said track section, means controlled by said relay for applying train control energy to the rails adjacent the ends of said section, a transformer having its primarywinding in circuit with said track relay, a relay controlled by said energy applying means, and a circuit for the secondary of said transformer controlled by said relay.

5. In combination, a section of railway traclna track relayconnected with the rails of said track section, means effective upon 1. de-energization of said relay for applying interruptedtrain control impulses to said track section, a transformer having its primarywinding in circuit with said relay, a relay arranged to be energized during each such train control impulse, and a circuit for the secondary winding of said transformer including a front contact of said relay.

6. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay provided with a circuit including at least one rail of said track section, means controlled by said relay for applying train control energy to the rails adjacent the ends of said section, and relay means controlled by said energy applying means for controlling the impedance of the track relay circuit.

7. In combination, a section of railway track, a coding device, a track relay connected with the rails of said section and re sponsive to the entry of a train into the track section for causing said coding device to supply coded energy to the rails adjacent the. respective ends of said section, and. means controlled by the transmission of energy by said coding device to one end of the track section for varying the impedance of the track relay circuit.

8. In combination, a section of railway track, a coding device, a relay connected with the rails of said section and responsive 'tothe entry of a train into the track section for causing said coding device to supply coded energy to the rails adjacent the respective ends of said section, a winding in circuit with said relay, and means controlled by impulses transmitted by said coding device for varying the impedance of said winding.

9. In combination, a section of railway track, a trackrelay provided with a circuit including at least one rail of said track section, means controlled by said relay for applying train control energy to the rails ad jacent the ends of said section, and means responsive to the transmission of energy by said first mentioned means to one end of said section for-increasing the impedance of,

- rails of said track section, means controlled by said relay for applying train control energy to the rails adjacent the ends of said section, a winding in circuit with said relay, and means responsive to the transmission of energy by the first mentioned means to one end of said section for varying the impedance of said winding.

11. In combination, a section of railway track, a coding device, means including a contact controlled by said coding device for supplying coded energy to the rails adjacent, one end of said track section, means 1nclud= ing another contact controlled by said coding device for supplying coded energy to the six track section.

1 train into said section for bringing said rails adjacent theother end of said section,-

a'. track relay connected to one end of" said track section and responsive to the entry of a train into said section for bringing said coding device into action, and means. electrically connected to one of said contacts for increasing the impedance of the track relay circuit as an incident to: the application of coded energy to the corresponding end of the 1 2. In combination, a section of railway track, a coding device, means including a set of contacts'controlled by said coding device for supplying to the rails adjacent one end of the track section impulses of different frequencies 1n accordance with traffic condltlons be nd said end means lllclllCllll ana a other set of contacts controlled by said cod ing device for supplying to the ralls ad a cent the other end of the track section imof contacts controlled by said coding device for'supplying to the rails adjacent one end of the track. section impulses of different frequencies in accordance with traffic conditions beyondsaid end, means including anoth'erset of contacts controlled by said coding device for supplying to. the rails adja'oent the other end of the track section iinpulses of different frequencies in accordance with traflic conditions beyond'that end, a track relay connected to one end of the track section responsive to the entry of a train-into said section for bringing said coding device into action, and a relay elec-v trically connected to-one of said sets of contacts for increasing the impedance of thetrack relay circuit as an incldent to the .ap-

plication of impulses of any of a plurality of frequencies to the corresponding endsof the track section.

145. In combination, a section of railway track, acoding device, means including a set of contacts controlled by said codin 'i device for supplying to the rails adjacent one end of the track section impulses of different frequencies in accordance with traffic conditions beyond said end, means includlng another set of contacts controlled by said coding device for supplying to the rails adjacent'the other end of the track section impulses of different frequencies in accordance with trafiic conditions beyond that end, a track relay connected to one end of. he track section and responsive othe entry of a train into said section for bringing said coding de- Vice into acti0n,and a relay electrica lyco nected to one of said sets of contacts for increasing the impedance of the track "relay circuit as an incident to the application 'O impulses of any of a plurality of frequencies to the corresponding end of the track, SeQ- tion. 1'

15. In combination, a section of railway track, a coding device, a traek-relayc0nnected with the rails of said sectionand responsive to the entry of, va train into the track section for causing said coding device to supply coded energy to the railsv adjacent the respective ends of said section, anda res lay controlled by the transmission of energy by said coding device to one end of thetracl: section for increasing theimpedance of the track relay circuit. V

16. in combination, a section of railway track, a coding device, a relay. connected with the rails of said section and responsive to the entry of a train into the track section for causing said coding device to supply coded energy to the rails adjacent the respective ends of said section, a winding in circuit with said relay, and means controlled by impulses transmitted by saidcoding device for varying the impedance of said winding. I 1'7. In combination, a section ofrailway track, a winding, a track relay connected with the rails of said section through said winding, a transformer having its secondary connected with the rails of said section,

,transformer,a second transformer having the secondary connected with the rails of said section, means controlled by said track relay for at times supplying coded energy to the primary of said second transformer, a second relay connected with said primary,

and a circuit for the remaining winding of said impedance transformer controlled by said second relay. r

In testimony whereof, Ihave signed my name to this specification this 25th day of September, 1929. I V V CHARLES l V.-FAILOR.' 

